High Seas

Taken from an original watercolour of Japanese Koi that was brought to England by John Smedley II himself in the 1930s, the emblem of the knitwear label’s latest collection, “Precision/Fluidity”, is hard to miss. Appearing boldly on sharp suit trousers – elsewhere more subtly placed on the button panels of knitted blue, red, and yellow polos – the Japanese-style waves provide the focal point of the collection; a perfect balance between artistic innovation and elegant simplicity.

Smooth as Silk

Waves alone though, can’t provide the fluidity desired by the team at John Smedley HQ. To make everything flow just that little bit better, luxury fabrics have been used for each garment: think extra fine merino wool and liquid silks, draped effortlessly over models in such a way that fabric appears as a substance. Loose silhouettes have been designed to further flatter the fabrics used, billowing down the catwalk at Saturday’s alfresco show, while still managing to maintain an air of precision with the help of delicate tucks and pleats.

It’s the Little Things

In-keeping with the theme of precision (something fans will no doubt know the brand for being masters at), each tailoring nuance has been considered, each shape has been finely tuned, and every item has been edited so to express its most intrinsic function. The result is a clean and purposeful finish that commands attention without the need for over-styling: kimono-style ties accompany elegant silk dresses, delicate coloured panels outline the shirt collars, while lustrous lurex panels have been added to garments to catch the light.